The Naked Gun Movie Review (2025)
A silly and zany comedy full of gags, The Naked Gun 2025 is a light and funny film that shows off Liam Neeson’s slapstick chops.
I remember watching the first The Naked Gun movie when it came out in 1988 starring Leslie Neilson. I was in 7th grade and I went to see it on a double-date with my best friend. And although neither she nor I ever saw those boys again, it’s one of those memories that stuck with me. I remember thinking that the movie was fun, but not quite my humor. Since that was over 25 years ago, though, maybe it’s time I watch it again.
The Naked Gun 2025 version is a new generation in the same world, where now Lieutenant Frank Drebin Jr. is the lead detective in the Police Squad. His father (Leslie Neilson) has passed away and Frank Jr. wants to make his dad proud. When a bank robbery takes place and something is stolen from a safe deposit box, Drebin and his partner investigate the crime, meeting blonde bombshell, Beth Davenport, along the way.
If you know nothing about The Naked Gun movies, the most important thing to be aware of is that these are silly. They are intended to be ridiculous and the situational humor abounds. That is the point.
Liam Neeson is an excellent choice to carry the torch on these films. He can be absently-serious during the most absurd moments and he’s likeable. It works. It truly is like watching a man that could be Leslie Nielsen’s son.
There were countless nutty moments in this film, many of which worked and some that didn’t. A running gag that was funny each and every time you saw it was that someone was always handing Frank Jr. a take-out cup of coffee. Just like in every cop show and movie you’ve ever seen, the coffee was a constant.
There are some very funny/cringey references to OJ Simpson (who was in the first three The Naked Gun films) and Bill Cosby, as well as some excellent casting choices. Priscilla Presley (who was also in the first films) shows up for a moment, as do Dave Bautista, Busta Rhymes, Cody Rhodes, and Weird Al.
Danny Huston and Kevin Durand make excellent bad guys, and it doesn’t even matter what the big “issue” is, because it’s just as silly as the rest of the film. Then you have Pamela Anderson, who does a great job of being just as goofy as the rest of them, but maintaining the sweet semi-innocence that her part calls for.
Overall, this is a really slapstick-y, absurdist movie that will absolutely remind you of its predecessors. There are a few things that will make you laugh out loud, a couple others that will make you chuckle, and a very short runtime so as not to waste any of yours. If you enjoyed the original The Naked Gun films, you’re going to love this one.
Runtime: 85 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: PG-13
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? Yes
Did I Cry? Nope
My Rating: 3.25/5 Stars
Available: Currently in theaters
